The Last Chapter
by Target Zero
Summary: When Dean's nightmares begin to blurr the line between dreams and reality, the Winchesters must hurry to find the cause. But things aren't always what they seem. Slightly AU near the end.
1. Prologue

_Authore's note:__ I've been working on this story for over a year; mostly because I didn't know how to end it. I had a hard time putting it into words. So if you notice some differences in the writing style, that's why. Please leave some reviews; they help me improve. _

_I don't own Supernatural or any of the characters._

**Prologue**

"He no doubt knows where it is, sir." The other man didn't turn or show any sign of recognition. Instead he continued to watch the waves enter the bay in their rhythmic motion.

"Are you certain." The man finally asked. "There is lot at stake should you be wrong. He is, after all watched closely by heaven."

Standing straighter under the other man's threatening tone, he continued. "We've questioned everyone within the highest circle. If he doesn't have it then he knows where it is, whether he remembers or not."

Further out to sea, several boats could be seen drifting in the setting sun. The silence stretched for some time; with neither one of them moving. "Too long has it lain forgotten and now to learn it's in the hands of a … human." He drawled the last words with disgust. "Well then, we have work to do."


	2. Chapter 1 - Nightmares

**Chapter 1 - Nightmares**

"Come on Sammy! What are you doing in there, putting on makeup?" Dean glanced over when the bathroom door swung open and an exasperated Sam stepped out.

"Do you always have to be so impatient?" Dean grinned at his younger brother's expression. He often found it amusing to pass the time seeing in which new way he could anger his brother.

"Dude, you're such a girl." By the time Sam could think of a reply, Dean had past him and closed the bathroom door.

Finally alone, he let out the breath he had been holding in all morning. His heart began to race at the mere memory of the hellish nightmare that had sent him jolting awake, the details of which he couldn't exactly remember but it did end with him getting shot. He brought a shaky hand to his chest, the pain from the bullet still lingered above his heart. Grimacing, he worked to massage the spot. Taking his shirt off, he froze as his eyes caught his reflection. There, just above his heart was a small red bruise, not unlike a wound left from a bullet. For a second, he though he was still dreaming but the deep ache told him otherwise. _Shit._

He quickly suppressed the panic inside him. Studying the bruise he easily concluded it wasn't life threatening but that somehow failed to put him at ease. His hunter's instinct screamed at him to call Bobby but his more stubborn side refused to admit weakness. After thinking about it a second longer, he tore his gaze away from his reflection.

As the days wore on, he found himself unwilling to go to sleep. He could feel himself getting sluggish in his movements and was well aware of the dark circles forming under his eyes. Thankfully, Sam had been too preoccupied with their latest hunts to notice anything else.

As the week wore on though, Dean found himself jolting awake short of breath and in pain more often. The nightmares intensified with each passing day, and the pain associated when he woke up became more pronounced. Examining his latest bruises, Dean debated on whether or not to tell Sam about it. To add to his already mounting panic, he hadn't failed to notice that the bruises would last longer than they did the first few days.

Deciding to tuff it out a few more days, he took one last look at the new array of purple bruising forming across his back, before slowly slipping on his shirt. He easily washed down 2 painkillers with a glass of water before collecting himself.

The radio filled the car as the two drove in silence, with Sam watching the passing country side with little interest, his brows furrowed in concentration. His mind was preoccupied with worry about his older sibling. Dean had been unusually silent this past week and any attempt Sam made to uncover the source simply let to Dean's patented "I'm fine" reply. And Sam would silently watch his older brother, trying to figure out what was going on in his brother's head.

But today was different; Dean's movements looked slow, calculated and careful. They hadn't been on any resent hunting trips and Sam couldn't make sense of his brother's injuries. The nightmares were getting worse, that much Sam knew although Dean had an uncanny ability to sneak out without waking him. He had woken in a state of panic when Dean wasn't in his bed, but he quickly found him sitting outside, _taking in some fresh air_, as he put it.

Remembering the last time Sam had approached Dean about nightmares, the elder Winchester had nearly sealed himself off completely. It had been shortly after Dean returned from hell, a time in the older brother's life he wasn't inclined to share. Sam decided he wasn't going to bring it up just yet, especially since things seemed to be getting back to normal again.

Taking in a deep breath, Sam glanced sidewise at his brother. He looked tired; everything about him looked tired and tense. Something was up, and it wasn't just regular nightmares.


	3. Chapter 2 - What's normal?

_Author's note: Thanks to everyone who took the time to read my first two chapters. Here's the next chapter._

_I don't own Supernatural._

**Chapter 2 – What's normal?**

_Dean wasn't sure exactly what woke him up; as far as he could tell it was a steady tie between the beeping heart monitor and the horrible hospital smell. Either way, it was a tell-tale sign of a place he didn't want to be. Cracking an eye open was a harder task than he should have been. However, when he finally managed it, his eyes quickly found his father's slumped form in the arm chair beside the bed. _

_Something was odd, but at the moment he couldn't force his mind to stay on one track. He was slightly aware of a dull ach, but the maze of medication made it impossible for him to determine the source. Great. His breath and heart monitor quickened in panic when he noticed he could lift either one of his arms. _

_In his moment of panic he didn't notice he had woken his father. "Hey, it's okay Dean. Take it easy." He turned his panicked eyes towards his father. He felt like a child again, but oddly enough he felt himself calming. John leaned closer, his voice soft as if he was speaking to a wounded animal. "You're safe now. Don't worry everything's going to be alright." _

_Dean blinked back in confusion; the tone in his father's voice was enough to send him into full alert. "Dad, what do you…" In that instant Dean finally noticed the leather restraints tying down his wrists, but more alarming were the heavy gaze bandages that covered both arms from the wrist to the elbow. "What's going on." His voice grew louder as he tried to pull his arms free. Every tug sent slivers of pain through his body while deep red stains started seeping through the heavy bandages in clear straight lines. This did nothing to calm him as the sight of each line sent him into a bigger panic. _

"_Dean, calm down. Look at me." Although still panicked, Dean couldn't resist a direct order from his father. His head snapped up, meeting his father's gaze. As if in slow motion, his father's concerned gaze twisted into a sadistic smile. "You're in trouble now son." Before Dean could react, John dug the tip of a well sharpened hunting knife into his son's side. Dean's agonizing scream echoed through the halls as John pulled the blade down, watching in amusement as blood poured out from the gash in a steady flow. _

Dean's eyes snapped opened as his breath hitched. Pain raced up his side, forcing all the air from his lungs. One glance at Sam told him his brother was still sleeping undisturbed. Pressing his hand to his side, he did his best to ignore the searing pain; telling himself it wasn't real. As his breath evened, nausea assaulted him, sending him to the bathroom on unsteady legs.

The sound of a door closing jolted Sam from his sleep. The mystery of his brother's disappearance was quickly solved by the sound dry heaves coming from the bathroom. He waiting till he couldn't hear anything anymore before knocking on the door. He waited but Dean didn't answer. "Dean? You okay?" Trying the handle he was surprised to find the door unlocked. Slowly, he opened the door and slid into the small room.

Dean was slouched near the toilet with his back against the ceramic tub. His eyes were closed and his left arm was draped over his side. Sam carefully closed the door behind him and took a seat on the cold floor tiles opposite Dean.

"I'm getting tired of this crap." Dean finally croaked out, his voice ruff and raw from the dry heaves. Sam concentrated on his sleeves instead of answering; he knew his brother was just talking out loud.

When he was sure Dean wasn't going to say anything else, Sam figured it was now or never. "Dean, you have to tell me about your nightmares." He was expecting a wise ass remark or a flat out no, but instead the room was filled with a heavy silence.

"…Dad was there,…." Dean finally spoke, his arm instinctively tightening around his side at the memory. "Well, ….something that looked like Dad anyways." Sam's throat dried as he listened to his brother's description. "Then it, umm….."

The silence grew heavier in the small room as Sam waited for the rest. By Dean's actions though, he could pretty much assume how it was going to end. Dean quickly averted his gaze, baling his fists at his side in annoyance.

"How long?" Sam finally asked. If they were going to figure this out, they needed the most information they could get.

Dean debated about lying or telling the truth, finally deciding on the latter. "About a week and a half." Sam nodded in acknowledgement, but didn't reply. The two fell into a heavy silence but it did little to ease Sam's concerns; Dean rarely stuck around when it came to talking about your feelings so the fact that he didn't look about ready to take off spoke volumes. "Dean something's up. These dreams seem different than the other ones I've ever had. I mean the more I've ever gotten was headaches. I think we've got to figure this thing out before it gets dangerous." The image of John savagely attacking his older brother in his sleep sent chills down both their spines.

"Yeah," Dean whispered, slowly lifting his shirt to reveal a dark red mark exactly where _dream_John had sliced into him, "….. tell me about it."

**Please review**


	4. Chapter 3 - Reality

_Author`s note: Thanks to all those who take their time to read my story. Things are starting to pick up with this chapter. Hope you all enjoy it. Please Read/review. TargetZero_

**Chapter 3 - Reality**

By the time the sun rose, neither Sam nor Dean had gotten much sleep. While Sam typed away on his computer Dean slumped against the head board of his bed, his mind replaying the images of his most recent nightmare. Though still there, the red mark down Dean's side was slowly fading. He doubted his stomach's ability to keep any breakfast, but Sam insisted he ate something. How could he be so stupid and not notice this before, Sam wondered.

Knowing there was no lead here, they headed out of town first thing, with Sam sitting behind the wheel and Dean slouched against the window in the passenger seat. The drive was unsettling quiet, not even the lure of the radio could fill the space. With every passing mile, the severity of the situation dug a little deeper into Sam.

"Stop it." Sam was snapped out of his trail of thought by his brother's deep voice. "This is why I didn't tell you sooner. It's some kind of curse or spell, nothing unusual."

"Dean, your dreams are slowly killing you. And your telling me that's normal?" Though Dean had raised him, sometimes Sam felt like he couldn't understand the other man's logic.

Taking in a deep breath, hoping his voice remained even, Dean continued. "We just got to go at it like it's a normal gig, alright?"

Sam knew his brother was right, Dean seemed to always be right when it came to hunting. "Okay, what do we do now then?" He asked exasperated.

"Go talk to Bobby, I guess." Sam easily manoeuvred the big car around a tight corner. Without realizing it, he already had them heading in the direction of Bobby's salvage yard; one of the last places where they could find help and safety.

Accelerating onto the interstate, Sam glanced over to see Dean slowly losing the fight to stay awake. "Don't worry Dean, Bobby will know something." He whispered mostly to himself. If Dean heard, he gave no indication of it.

...

_Bobby paced the floor, every once in a while turning his attention to the eldest Winchester slumped in the chair. In one quick step, his left fist collided with Dean jaw, sending the younger man to the floor. Dean could instantly taste the copper liquid in his mouth. _

"_Bobby, please." He wished his voice sounded more confidant than it did. He tried once more to pull his hands free, but the rope simply dug deeper into his already mangled wrists. Grimacing in pain, he willed his mind to focus on other things. The slow steps told him Bobby had returned to his pacing, though at the moment his swollen eye prevented him from seeing in that direction. He did however see the steel-toe boot seconds before it collided with his side._

_Another well aimed kick sent Dean into a fit of coughs, each one bringing up more blood and leaving him gasping of breath. Grabbing hold of one of Dean's arms, Bobby hoisted him and the chair up. "You ready to talk yet, boy?" The change in position caused Dean to sway dangerously, his head lobbing dangerously to the side.._

"_I ... already told you…" he did his best to keep his voice even. "…..I don't know." _

_Unsatisfied with the answer, the elder man straighten to his full height. "Fine, I figured it would take more to break ya." Silently, he made his way over to the small closet, opening the door enough for Dean to see inside. His breath hitched at the sight of his youngest brother, Adam Mulligan. _

_Dean's heart skipped a beat as he watched Bobby drag his youngest brother from the closet, dropping him in a heap infront of the older brother. Adam eyes were wide with fear and any attempt to cry out was muffled by the duck tape over his mouth. "If you hurt him, I swear to God…" Dean's blood ran cold as he watched "Bobby" pull out a gun. _

"_Or what? I gave you the option to do this the easy way. Tell me what I want to know, and you two can leave." The older man's normal brown eyes were quickly replaced by jet black as he aimed the gun to Adam's temple. "Now then, were is it?"_

"_Look man…" Dean took a second to even his breathing, he could feel the blood pulsing thought his veins. "I don't know."_

_Bobby's mouth curled up in a smile. "…wrong answer." The gunshot echoed through the house before Dean could move. In a split second, Adam's body slumped to the ground, a pool of blood quickly forming. Unfazed, Bobby stepped over the fallen Winchester on his way to the eldest. "Now, let's start again." Pressing the cold steel to Dean's left shoulder, Bobby smiled wickedly before firing a bullet into the eldest Winchester. Dean screamed as white hot pain tore through him. _

Dean shot up in his seat, his hand closing around his shoulder as his face grimaced in pain. He braced himself against the dashboard, willing his hand to stop shaking. His head was spinning and every breath brought new waves of pain. He could feel his stomach rising into his throat. His lungs screamed in protest as he launched into a fit of coughs, tasting the coppery liquid spilling from his lips.

Sam quickly brought the car to a skidding halt on the shoulder, his own heart beating rapidly. "Dean?" He could see the colour draining from his brother's face as the older man struggled to breath. "DEAN!" Without checking for traffic, Sam flung the driver's side door open and ran around the Impala, pulling the passenger side door open so hard, it's a miracle the hinges held.

"DEAN! What's wrong!" Sam had only seconds to move aside before Dean's stomach proved to be unsteady once again. Gripping Dean's shoulders to steady him, Sam waited patiently till the dry heaves subsided.

The sound of the gunshot was all Dean could hear, muffling anything Sam said. However, he couldn't bring himself to answer or say anything at the moment. His shoulder seared with pain, his ribs made his breathing haggard and his stomach seemed to want to be on the outside. All he could concentrate on was the image of his dead brother falling to the floor.

"Come on Dean! Say something!" With every passing second, Sam's panic grew. He was sure he was the only thing holding his older brother upright. He lowered himself to be in his brother's eye level. "Dean?" As he shifted his grip on Dean's shoulder, he notice his older brother's face grimace in pain as he pulled in a sharp breath.

Pulling his hand away, he found it covered in blood; Dean's blood. "Shit." Pulling his brother's coat aside Sam worked to get a better view of the source. "..Sorry…." In his panic, he had forgotten the pain he must be adding. Searching Dean's shoulder, he found no wound to speak off, only blood; but lots of it.

Weakly, Dean pushed Sam's hand away. "It's fine. Just give me a minute." Sam was shocked by Dean's calm tone.

"What happened?" Sam watched as Dean whipped the blood from the corner of his mouth with his shirt sleeve. Taking in a shaky breath, he did his best to offer his younger brother the patented Dean Winchester grin.

"Son's of a bitches are getting worst." Dean leaned his head against the seat, his hand snaking around his ribs. Taking in a slow breath, Dean worked to slow his heart. "…. why did you let me fall asleep."

Sam's heart caught in his throat. Things had just gone beyond what they could handle. "Dean, you just barely closed your eyes. You weren't out for more than 5 seconds." Dean clenches his fist to keep them from shaking. "I think it's time to call Bobby."

Dean visibly flinched at the older hunter's name. It didn't take long for Sam to piece the link together. "Bobby was in this dream?"

The wind picked up, bringing in cooler air. Shifting his weight Dean pressed a hand into his shoulder, the pain already beginning to fade in intensity. "…. and Adam." He finally admitted.

Sam got the picture right away, not needing Dean to explain further. Their youngest brother's existence had been hard for Dean to acknowledge. Once more he had felt betrayed by his father for not telling him. Add to that the fact that Adam and his mother had been killed by ghouls as revenge towards John was something they had not yet put behind them. Sam knew Dean never stopped thinking of how things could have been different if he could have been there to protect them.

Making sure Dean was steady enough to hold himself up, Sam quickly went to the trunk to find a bottle of water. Dean gratefully took it, taking in two or three mouthfuls to rinse his mouth before taking a drink. "You okay?" Sam watched as his brother shifted in his seat, adding more pressure to his shoulder like he would have should it be a real bullet wound.

"I'll live." Was all he gave in response before taking in another drink of water.


	5. Chapter 4 - Family

_Author's Note: Thank to all those who take the time to read and review; your feedback and encouraging words are always much appreciated. _

_Kaze-Chan_

**Chapter 4 - Family**

"Yeah Bobby, that pretty much sums it up." Sam leaned against the car, glancing towards the gas station bathroom where Dean had disappeared.

The heavy silence filled the phone line while the elder hunter worked to process the information. "It's been two weeks and you're only thinking of calling me now?" Sam could hear the anger filtering through the line.

"I only just found out about an hour ago." Sam defended, although he knew that was no excuse. He should have realized it when it all started. "Doesn't matter anymore either way, what do we do now?"

"Well, what ever it is, we need to find out what it wants with your idjit of a brother." Sam could already feel himself calming down. Bobby always knew just how to break down any problem and despite Dean's reluctance; it had been a good idea to call the older man. "And what's this about Adam? I though he died?"

"He did. Dean and I burned his body." Sam breathed out deeply. This was getting more screwed up by the minute. "It might have been his soul, he doesn't know."

Bobby shifted in his chair to reach another book. "How could a demon snatch a soul from heaven and no one notice?"

"Beats me. Besides, who says Adam was in heaven to begin with." Looking over towards the gas station, he started wondering what was taking his brother so long. "Dean said something about a Demon asking him where it was." Relief flooded over him when he saw Dean step back out into the sun light. He had managed to wash away the blood and had changed into a clean shirt. He was still too pale and Sam couldn't help but notice how his green eyes constantly searched his surroundings; his guard was up full force.

"Let me talk to him." Unlike his normal hunts, Bobby was finding it difficult to stay focused. The Winchester boys were almost like his own sons, and instinct had him jumping into his car and going to meet them. But the more experienced side of him told him he was of more use searching his vast library of resources. One thing he couldn't ignore was his concern for Dean. That kid had gone through more nightmares than anyone should ever dream of and now this. Couldn't this kid get a break?

"Ummm…" Sam hesitate, watching as Dean made his way towards him. "I don't think that's a good idea right now. Just give him a bit of time to pull himself together. We'll call if anything changes. Thanks Bobby." He knew it was rude to hang up on Bobby and he would no doubt get an earful later, but Sam also knew that in Dean's current state, hearing the voice of the man who killed your brother might just be the thing to knock him over; even if it had been just a nightmare.

"What did Bobby have to say?" Careful not to pull his injured shoulder, Dean threw his bloody shirt into the back of the Impala. He knew his younger brother had no doubt called the older hunter; he was just thankful to be spared that task.

Sliding back behind the wheel of the Impala, Sam easily started the engine. "He doesn't know, not yet. But he's looking into it." Dean simply nodded. "Where to now?"

"I figure head to Bobby's. We can figure this thing out there." Not saying anything, Dean just leaned further into the worn leather seat. Tired didn't even begin to cover it. He felt like he was dead yet still walking; everything was a big task, the most draining of all was trying to stay awake.

Taking advantage of the silence, Dean wracked his brain for an answer to what the Demon could possibly want. "Where is it?" the sinister voice rang through his memory. What the hell do they want? The more he thought of it, the more his initial theory made more sense. This was something that had to do with Hell. Though he couldn't say he recognized the voice, it was somehow familiar. He just couldn't put his finger on it. Either, Dean still wasn't ready to let Sam in on the whole Hell experience. Not unless he had to.

"_Long time no see, Dean." Dean snapped up in his seat, his eyes scanning his surroundings for familiarity. Finding only what seemed like the inside of an abandoned warehouse, he turned his attention back to the Demon facing him._

"_I'm sleeping again, aren't I?" It was more of a rhetorical question, it was getting easier to tell now a days. Nodding in disinterest, the Demon simply smiled back patiently eyeing his quarry. "Wasn't it enough to try to kill me when I'm awake? So let's hear it, what do you son of a bitches want now?"_

_Waving his finger slowly from side to side, the Demon stood to his full height. "Now now, let's not forget our manners." Advancing, towards the hunter, the Demon held out a small piece of folded paper. "You have something we want, and knowing your reputation, we've taken out an … insurance of sorts. Meet me here. I assume your brother will be joining you, Samuel of course, seeing as Adam … has prior engagements." The way his lip curled in a grin sent chills down Dean's spine. "Oh and Dean, I wouldn't delay if I were you."_

For the second time that day, Dean lunged forward in his seat making Sam swerve in surprise. Bracing his hands against the dashboard, he worked to still his breathing. "Dean! Are you okay? DEAN?!" Sam reached over to grab his older brother's arm, needing the contact to calm his own rapid heartbeat.

"…..Adam…" The one word was caught in his throat. "They've got Adam." Looking down at his left fist, he found it wrapped around a folded piece of paper.

"WHAT?" Unable to concentrate on the road and his brother at the same time, Sam pulled into the first driveway he saw. "What do you mean they have Adam?" Damnit, Dean must have fallen asleep again. He followed Dean's line of vision to the small piece of paper crumpled in his hand. Slowly, as if not wanting to know what it was, Dean unfolded it and held it up for Sam to see the contents.

"The address where they've got him." Closing his eyes, Dean tried not to imagine Adam being tortured by demons.

"Dean, Adam's already dead, and don't you think his soul would have gone to heaven?" Sam tried to get his brother to think logically. For all they knew this could just be a bluff and a major trap was waiting for them at that address.

Dean couldn't deny Sam's logic but there was no way to be sure. "They couldn't have grabbed him before his soul went up for all I know. But there's no way I'm going to let them torture him. He doesn't deserve it." As the silence grew, Dean realised something that made his stomach turn. If the demons were able to get inside his head and were going through his memories to find the best ways to get to him, then they would have access to everyone he's ever met and everything he's ever done. "Shit. We have to go now."

Sam had argued for the first hour about going to Bobby's first and then going all together, but Dean was adamant about going to get Adam first. Sam eventually assumed his brother knew something else he wasn't sharing; probably having to do with his stay in hell. This entire thing had holes in it at every turn. Why Dean? What are they after? Why the nightmares? Unfortunately, Sam also reasoned that Dean for once didn't have the answers.


	6. Chapter 5 - Something Lost

_**Author's note:**_ _Coming down the home stretch now. Thanks to everyone who takes the time to read, review, follow or favorite. I've notice that Dean seems to be the target of all my stories; strange. Let me know what you all think._

* * *

**Chapter 5 – Something lost**

Pulling into the dark parking lot, the two Winchester's eyed the abandoned building in front of them. "This looks like a trap Dean." Sam remarked for the tenth time. Other than the Impala's headlights, there was no light anywhere around; no window was lit up by an interior source.

Dean knew for a fact it was a trap; that much he never doubted. Pushing the passenger door open, he stepped out into cool night to get a better view of the surroundings. Nothing moved, no sound save for the wind rustling the trees. "Yeah, I know but if they've got Adam and it's me they want, …" Dean didn't finish his sentence. He hoped Sam would understand that he would never let anyone else get hurt because of him. Closing his door Dean headed to the trunk to get his gun and a flash light.

Sam continued to stare at the ominous building. It wasn't like Dean to go walking straight into a trap; especially when you knew it was you they wanted. He knew however that Dean was going in there no matter what, the least he could do was cover his back. Stepping out of the safety of the Impala he headed towards his brother; taking the flashlight that was handed to him.

"You ready?" Closing the trunk, the two stood side by side.

Sam let out a deep breathe, he knew there was no point in arguing the matter. "Ready as I'll ever be." Dean didn't miss the unspoken undertones.

Silently and carefully, Sam and Dean made their way into the structures. After 10 minutes of searching by flashlight, they came up empty. Goosebumps began spreading along Sam's arms. He couldn't shake the feeling that this was a bad idea. What on earth was his brother thinking when he decided to come here without backup. The obvious reason was to get Adam's soul but what was the point if none of them made it out alive?

Dean stopped mid pace, causing Sam to bump into him. "What is it?" Sam followed Dean's gaze to a small door that stood slightly opened to his left. Turning his flashlight towards it, he pulled the door open wider.

"This way." Sam watched as Dean started up the stairs without so much as a second thought. Once at the top, he followed him down the dark corridor. Dean suddenly stopped in front of a side door. The second Dean stepped inside the equally dark room, the heavy door slammed shut behind him; separating the two brothers.

"DEAN!" Sam flung himself at the door, pulling at the door handle with all his force. The doorknob wouldn't even turn in his grasp. "God damn it Dean." Sam was too preoccupied with getting through the door, he hadn't notice the three demons coming up behind him; everything went black before he could realise what was happening.

Dean spun around, his heart jumping to his throat as the door slammed shut behind him. He pulled at the handle but quickly found it was no use. Knowing he was where the Demon had wanted him to be, he decided he would continue on; hopefully finding Adam.

"Hello Dean." With the click of his fingers, the lights came on, revealing the sinister Demon calmly sitting on a dusty oak desk. "So glad you could make it." In a quick movement, the Demon had crossed the small distant and landed one inhumanly strong punch to Dean's stomach; instantly crippling the hunter into unconsciousness.

...

The first feeling to come back to Sam was cold. Where ever he was, it was freezing. Second came the pain; a persistent ache at the back of his head. Slowly, Sam found the force to pry his eyes open, despite the pounding. He spared a glance at his surroundings before letting his eye lids slide close again to ward of the feeling of nausea. After a few minutes, Sam managed to pull himself up on his elbows and then to a sitting position, leaning against the concrete wall behind him.

_This isn't good,_ Sam thought as he studied the metal bars surrounding the small space. He brought his hand to his head, feeling the lump already forming there and the dry blood. He had no idea where Dean was and he could only hope that he was alright.

Taking in a deep breath, he really wished they had gone to Bobby's first. _"it's a freakin trap."_

...

"Now here's the problem Dean." The Demon eyed the young hunter before him. Dean did his best to return the even stare, despite the fact that his hearts had sunk to his stomach the second he had woken up. "You have something I want."

"Ever heard of asking?" Dean forced his voice to stay steady while testing the strength of the ropes holding him in a chair. "I don't even know what you jerks are looking for."

"When you were in Hell, Alastair trusted you more than any of the others. You really did make a lasting impression among them; you weren't there for very long and yet you made it to his right hand side." As the Demon spoke, Dean scanned around looking for anything that could help him get the upper hand. "Anyhow, I'm convinced Alastair has told you where a certain item is hidden, something very valuable."

"Listen Buddy, you've got the wrong guy. Alastair and I weren't exactly bff. You should recheck your sources." Dean racked his brain to make a connection with what the Demon was saying and what he remembered from his time in Hell.

"You know what's interesting?" The Demon chuckled in amusement as he began pacing around his prisoner. "Everyone goes on and on about you're brother's psychic abilities and yet you, the strongest of the two Winchesters, manages to go below the radar. Fascinating, it truly is."

Dean's eyebrow's arched in surprise. "Dude, your information is so backwards." So far, his plan to keep the thing talking was working rather well. But he wasn't fooling himself. He knew damn well that once the demon got the information out of him, there would be no stalling.

After another silent slow circle, the Demon came to a complete stop in front of the young hunter. "Dean, has it never occurred to you that, though most demons can read minds, not one of them as ever been able to know what you were thinking?" The Demon's voice was slow, letting each syllable roll off his tongue. Dean's brow furrowed in concentration; it was no secret that some demon's had special powers but why would they be trying to read his mind? A smile spread across the creatures features. "Never thought of it have you?"

He stepped back, a light chuckle spilling from his lips as he watched the human before him. "You have a remarkable gift, Dean Winchester, and you don't even know it." Dean watched as the Demon's hand closed against a small black device. After examining it with delight, he turned it on to see a jolt of electricity pass from one prong to the other.

Dean's stomach plummeted even deeper as he sat memorised by the electricity. "You see Dean, you have the ability to close your mind; to close it off from the world." At the sight of the younger man's confusion, the Demon continued. "You're unreadable and so unpredictable; to both sides."

Testing the strengths of the ropes, Dean did his best to keep the Demon talking. "So you're after my brain powers?"

"No, what I'm after is much more valuable than that. I'm after the Book of Salus, the last chapter of the Holy Scriptures, or what you people now call the Bible." Dean worked to free his hand, feeling the tight rope dig into the soft skin.

"And what do demons want with the Bible?" Dean huffed out, giving up on freeing his hands and worked instead to loosen his feet. "Hoping to be saved?"

"Demon?" It stopped it's pacing infront of Dean. "Who ever said we were demons?" Dean stared back confused. Come to think of it, they had never said they were demons; it was just a logical conclusion he had come to. _Damn it._ His situation just became more desperate as realisation set in.

"You're an angel." he chuckled mostly to himself. "A damn angel, should have known. Demons are more straight forward."

Resuming his pace, he made his way towards the desk, his right hand closing around a small black device. As the device sparked to life, Dean's eyes widened as he watched to small blue electric shocks jump from one prong to the other.

"Now, where is the book?"

...

Sam lunged at the bars for the sixth time, screaming obsanities down to hallway. Though he knew the demons neither cared or nor bothered to subdue him, it did make him feel better. He could here Dean screaming from somewhere deep within the warehouse; something that always sent shivers down his spine. Dean never screamed, _never_.

He carelessly wiped the sweat from his brow, his every movements showing his frustrations. The silence was broken by yet another gripping scream, forcing Sam to throw himself as the bars once more.

"DEAN!"

* * *

_**Please read and review.**_


	7. Chapter 6 - Living Nightmare

_Author's note:_ _Getting to the end of this story very shortly; only a few chapters left. Thanks every for the reviews and the favs. I've also just noticed that fanfiction takes off the stars I've been using to separate some scenes. So, sorry if the first chapters were a little hard to follow because of that._

_TZ/kaze-chan_

…

**Chapter 6 – Living nightmare**

Dean's muscles convulsed as another jolt of electricity coursed through his body. " …..Je…sus Chri..st…st. " He managed through gritted teeth. " … can't you retards get.. .. a hint. "

The Angel took the seat facing him, the same arrogant smile still plastered on place. Dean wanted nothing more than to lurch over and rip it off his face. "Where is the book Dean?"

"Do I look like I read?" Dean forced his head up to look it in the eye, his breath coming in short rapid gasps. Of all the torture he had endured in his lifetime, his time in hell included, he hated electrocution the most. Unlike other injuries, the electrical currents always seem to go straight to the heart, causing more pain than anything else imaginable.

The Angel eyed him for a moment, before getting back to his feet and waving over his cronies. "That's enough for now. Take him back and lock him up next to the other one." Tilting Dean's chin forward to once again force eye contact, he cleared his voice. "You will tell us where it is Dean, it's just a matter of time."

Dean had planned to rush the guards the second they untied him, but the moment he made a move, a sharp searing pain made his heart flutter. Every nerve in his body lit up with electricity. He crumpled to a heap on the ground in seconds, protectively curling himself inwards and worked to calm himself and force his heart back to a normal beating rhythm.

While he concentrated on the task, he barely registered the change in scenery. The room blurred around him as he clutched his heart. It wasn't until minutes later that he could feel someone slightly shaking him.

Forcing his eyes to focus, the image of his younger brother's face swam into view. "Dean? Are you alright?" Propping himself up onto his elbow, it took a bit before he had enough breath to answer.

"Yeah, I'll be fine." He did his best to offer him a reassuring smile but the look on Sam's face told him the younger Winchester wasn't buying it.

"Dude, what the hell do they want?" Sam sank to the ground, finally allowing himself to relax. He was only slightly surprised when the demons dragged a semi-conscious Dean back and locked him in the adjacent cell. It would have been suicidal to open Sam's cell and he figured they had guessed as much.

Now that Dean was awake, Sam could finally concentrate on other things. His quickly took in his older brother's appearance, looking for injuries. Along Dean's arms, Sam could see the deep red burns, left by what he could only assume was a taser. The marks stood out in sharp contrast against Dean's pale skin. Add to that the small trickle of blood that ran down the side of the older man's head.

Dean pulled himself into a sitting position, leaning heavily against the cold metal bars just beside Sam. "Now what?"

"Are you asking me?" Dean blinked back in confusion. "This was your idea. Bobby doesn't even know where we are. " _Damn._ Their chances of being rescued just disappeared.

"We're screwed Sammy."

…..

Bobby tried again to reach either Sam or Dean, but the call went straight to voicemail. It wasn't like them to call frantic about something, and then not show up or call with updates. Something had happened but Bobby had now idea what or where. He barely even knew what was happening in the first place, much less be able to draw a sensible conclusion as to where they were now. Those Winchesters could get into any kind of trouble any where. It had to be a curse; no person could be that unlucky.

Pacing again across the rug, Bobby contemplated his options. He could search for them but had no clue as to where to start. Sam had been vague about their current location last time he had called.

No, he needed help from someone higher up. "Castiel?" He barely spoke the name, partially out of doubt the celestial being would show up at his call. He had watched Dean call upon Castiel many times, but that was different. Castiel's mission, or so it seemed, was to keep Dean safe until the army of heaven needed him.

Gaining some courage, Bobby decided this was just as important. If they wanted Dean, then they needed to find him first; they were sure to help. "Castiel, Dean's missing and probably in need of some heavenly tow truck." His voiced echoed around the house. Sceptically he glanced around the empty room, mentally wondering how long he needed to wait.

"He's in Vermont." Bobby jumped in surprised at the voice just behind him; only inches away stood the angel he had called.

"jesus, couldn't you have given me some warning or something. Damn near gave me a heart attack." Though Bobby had spent years hunting the supernatural and most considered him the expert of all things, he himself had never seen an angel before the day Castiel showed up with Dean.

Castiel simply stared in return. "You are the one who called me, should you not have been awaiting my arrival? And I don't know what the Son of the Lord has to do with it." Castiel watched as Bobby took a few steps backwards, adding a bit of distance between the two. "My apologies, Dean has told me you humans enjoy your personal space. At any rate, he's in Vermont but I haven't been able to find exactly where. Something's blocking him from me."

Bobby passed a hand over his face. If Castiel couldn't find him then this was worse than he thought. Bobby quickly described the morning's conversation with Sam, hoping the angel would be able to find something he had missed.

"Did he say when exactly the nightmares started and what they were about?" Bobby could have kicked himself for not asking more questions about the topic earlier.

"Nah, all he said was that it was about a week and a half." Bobby lowered himself into his desk chair. "Why, you got some…." With a flutter of the wind, Castiel was gone. Once the slight breeze died down, the house was once more filled with the heavy silence. "Thanks for nothing."

….

Dean did his best to stay awake but the physical strain of the day's abuse was weighing him down more than he was willing to admit. Add that to the week of little to no sleep. Still leaning against the cold bars, he could feel the cold dampness seeping into his body.

Sam paced the length of his cell for the twelfth time, every once and a while sparing a glance at his brother's unmoving form. _Angels, friggin angels._ Since Dean had sat up, the older Winchester had made no effort to move in anyway. He was mid-way through his thirteenth stride when the heavy metal door creaked open.

They passed by Sam's cell and unlocked Dean's. "What's wrong guys, miss me already?" Dean half-heartedly remarked as the goons unceremoniously pulled him to his feet and began dragging him out of the room.

All Sam could do was watch them take his brother away. No matter what he yelled at them, they seem uninterested. In seconds they had dragged his brother away once again. Passing his hands through his hair in frustration, he returned to his pacing. On his third pass, he noticed a circular symbol of something traced out in blood where Dean had been sitting. Kneeling down, he examined the strange symbol. This was something he had never seen before. _When the hell had Dean done that?_

Everything about this was out of place. It was no secret that the angels were after Michael's vessel but this was a new strategy that didn't quite fit the bill. And speaking of angels, where was Castiel?

"Where's Dean?" Sam immediately spun around in the direction of the voice. Standing near Dean's blood sigil stood Castiel. Sam had been too engrossed in his trail of thought to notice the light flutter of wings indicating the angel's appearance. "Sam, where's Dean."


	8. Chapter 7 - More than meets the eye

_A/N: one more chapter after this one. I don't own supernatural._

_TZ/Kaze-chan_

…

**Chapter 7 – More than meets the eye**

"How are you feeling today Dean?" The angel asked in mock interest. "Did you get enough sleep?" Dean smirked at the implication.

"Funny, I was going to ask you the same thing." The angel stared back at him. He had been told of Dean's boldness but witnessing it was a completely different experience. Recovering from his surprise, he pulled a chair to sit facing the young hunter.

"You seem to be in better spirits; have you deciding to tell us where the book is?" The angel's lip curled upwards in victory.

"Where's Adam." Growled Dean, his eyes fixed on the angel and his friends.

A small smile spread across its features. "I really wouldn't know Dean, I suppose up in heaven where he should be." With a quick wave of its hand, he sent the other two body guards to wait outside the door. "I knew it was the only way to get you here; family being the most important thing in your life, maybe even the only thing. Really though, you must have known it was a trap."

It was Dean's turn to smile. "Oh, I knew. I hope you didn't think I was that stupid. I even came prepared."

The angel stared back in confusion. In one swift movement, Dean lunged at the Angel, catching it off guard and pinning it against the wall behind them. A look of shock flickered across its features before the usual sinister smile reappeared.

"What's the plan Dean?" The Angel smiled warmly, its confidence not wavering it the least under Dean's grip. "You can't win against me. You're too weak, and human."

It was Dean's turn to grin. "I'm a quick learner." In a blink of an eye, the dirty room disappeared, quickly replaced by pure darkness. In the vast space, only Dean and the Angel remained.

The Angel stumbled back, the disappearance of the wall behind him sending him off balance. "Where are we?"

"Time to poke around in your head, Aufrious." For the first time in his life, the angel could honestly say he was scared. Never before had he ever felt such constricting darkness before. And worst yet to be sent shaking with his tail between his legs by a mere human. Regaining his composer, the angel straightened up.

"Nice trick." He examined his surroundings, looking for any weak point in the barrier. "It was to be expected, a man with your unique talents. Well done." He offered Dean a hand of applause.

Dean's face widened into a grin. In the blink of an eye, Aufrious and Dean found themselves in a rocky terrain, flames licking at their shoes. "Look familiar? Or is this your first visit to the basement?" Aufrious felt the dry dead heat invade his lungs and the sulphur stung his nose. There was an over powering sense of despair and pain; to the point where it felt like it would be suffocating.

"Dean, you can't win." Aufrious was not going to lose, not like this and not when he had been so close. He refused to give this mere human the satisfaction of knowing he had him beat.

Flames erupted all around, burning the angel's skin from the inside out. "That's where you're wrong." Dean watched with satisfaction as Aufrious's soul burned from the inside out. It felt empowering to be able to crush an Angel so easily. It was a feeling he hadn't experienced since leaving the clutches of Hell.

…

Castiel made quick work of all the demon guards posted outside. The entire room had been protected with charms and symbols, preventing him from getting inside. He noticed the protective spells used were meant to keep everything out; from angels to demons. Forcing the door open, he was prepared for a battle. Instead he found Dean towering over the fallen figure of an Angel. But something was different. The entire room reeked of sulphur and for a moment he thought he had caught a glimpse of black in Dean's eyes. As he made his way inside the room, there was something more troubling. The Angel's soul had been burned and ripped apart; a feat only few things had the power to do.

"Cas, glad you got my message." Dean slumped against the chair in exhaustion. "What took you so long."

….

"What the _hell_ were you thinking?!" Bobby roared at Sam. The younger hunter kept his gaze downwards, knowing all too well how close both of them had come to being killed. "You knew it was a trap but you idjits still went in." Taking in a deep breath, Bobby poured himself another shot of whiskey.

"I tried telling Dean to wait but he just wouldn't let it go." Sam shifted his gaze, fixating on a point somewhere in front of him. "I don't know Bobby, I feel like I'm missing something." After Dean had summoned Castiel with the blood sigil, Sam could do nothing but pace in his cell. After what seemed like hours, the angel had returned to free him and transport him back to the elder hunter's house. Though injured, Dean refused to go to the hospital. Bobby treated the burns as best he could and then settled him on the couch. Dean had been so exhausted that the second he sank into the inviting cushions, he was unconscious. Sam still didn't really know what had happened.

"You and me both." Bobby emptied the shot of whiskey and poured out a new one, also refilling Sam's. "Dean might be hot headed, but he's not stupid. Why go if he knows it's a trap? What the hell did they want anyway?" Sam tried to think of any logical reason, but kept coming up short. In the tense silence, Dean even breathing could be heard from the other room.

"He has something the angels need." Castiel stood in the middle of the room, staring towards Dean's sleeping form. "Something he's stolen from Hell."

Bobby and Sam barely flinched at the sudden appearance of the angel. "What do you mean _stolen_?" Bobby pondered out loud, refilling his drink.

"When Lucifer was cast down from Heaven, he took with him the Last Chapter of the Holy Scriptures; the Book of Salus."

"Salvation." Sam easily translated.

Nodding, Castiel continued. "The book describes the transformation of the soul that is required to become master of all of God's creations. Reading from the scriptures can give one immense strength over any other being, including angels and demons. But there's a price. A human soul cannot contain such power and it was never meant for a mortal soul. He who reads from the book is no longer considered a creation of God but something beyond."

"Wait a minute." Sam straightened in his chair. "Are you saying that while Dean was in Hell, he stole this book from Lucifer and brought it back with him? And now both the angels and the demons are after him?" Again Castiel simply nodded. "So he knew all along why they were after him. Why didn't he say anything?" Sam nearly shouted in frustration.

"It might be he himself didn't remember."


	9. Chapter 8 - The Last Chapter

_**A/N**__: Sorry for the long wait, I've been working and reworking this last chapter. I'll probably revise it later but for now, I'm tired of looking at it. I know it's not the best ending but I've been sitting on this for months now and still can't find the right ending. Anyway, thanks to all those who took the time to read._

_TZ/Kaze-Chan_

* * *

**Chapter 8 – The Last Chapter**

_No matter where you went, there was no escaping the horridly rank heat. Everything burned._

"_Dean you should have paid better attention in Sunday school." Alastair eyed the younger man, ensuring he had his full attention while maintaining his hold of the knife. "When Lucifer fell at his brother's hand, he took with him one of the greatest treasures from heaven." Dean let out a cry when Alastair twisted the knife further in his flesh. "A treasure far beyond anything you've ever seen. And it's yours, for a price."_

"_Up yours, asshole." Dean stammered through gritted teeth._

"_Come now Dean, don't be so uptight. You're all doomed either way. Why else would God let you rot in hell with the rest of us." Dean tried to breathe through the pain. So far, Hell had lived up to its name. What was ironic though was that the words Hell could barely be used to describe the actual place. "Come on Dean, join us. We can make it worth your wild." Alastair allowed the piercing screams of other souls fill the silence. "All you have to do is say yes."_

_If Dean had been able to, he would have spat in Alastair's face. Instead all he could do was deny the demon the joy of seeing him scream. "You could become so much more than these insects." Alastair allowed his eyes to wander towards the various other souls being tortured. _

_Twisting the knife further, Alastair enjoyed watching the blood seeping from gaping wound. "Your God has already forsaken you. Sammy too; letting you rot down here. The greatest power the universe has ever seen is yours for the taking. Join us."_

….

* * *

When Dean woke the next morning, the sun light was just beginning to filter through the dusty curtains. His body was sore and it took more effort than it should have just to sit up. His muscles ached in protest and the burnt skin from where the electric shocks had entered his body burned. His heart beat faster just remembering it.

Slowly he got to his feet, keeping a hand out to steady himself. In the next room he found both Bobby and Sam fast asleep, still slumped in chairs. Deciding not to wake them, he made his way towards the back door. He needed some fresh air. Hell had been a nightmare and he had wished for nothing more than to forget it. But the last few days had been nothing but a new nightmare. With it had come back those horrible memories that Dean spent every minute trying to block from his mind. The burning, the smell, the pain; everything combining to suffocate him.

Once outside, he took in lungs full of fresh autumn air. Slowly his heart beat returned to normal. "Don't worry Cas, it's still safe." Dean didn't have to turn to know the angel had arrived behind him.

"Dean, more will come looking for it." Castiel could sense something had changed. It was the same feeling he had had when the angels had first laid siege to Hell to rescue the hunter. "Dean it's dangerous to use its knowledge. It wasn't meant for humans. The consequences to your soul are beyond anything we've ever seen." Returning Dean's gaze, Castiel could finally see the change. The damage had already been done. The hunter's soul had been tarnished; though still whole, a piece of it had been changed.

A small grin appeared on Dean's face as he turned to face the angel. "Like they stand a chance." Like before, Dean's eyes seemed black. "I got this."

_fin_


End file.
